Fantaisie Impromptu
by Yochanan Suishoukin
Summary: Not even time could stop the Titans to protect Jump City, not even when they have to pass the baton to a younger generation.
1. Prelude part 1

_I know, I have tried writing something like this for times, and I have the TT fandom for some time too. Somehow, the ideas haven't faded. I did try to settle myself with writing a normal epic (you know, with the cartoon characters), and have long thought that the 'Titans' kids' genre was definitely rubbish, but reading Kokuryu's Future Storms sparked the thought again, that some people need to prove that the genre doesn't suck at all. Here's hoping that I won't quit this one._

_There are only three OCs, and the others are from the comics. I tried hard not to make them a carbon copy of the original Titans, let's just see if I can do that well._

_Disclaimer: Well, if you can recognize these characters somewhere else, they are obviously not mine, but the long description can be seen in footnotes._

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**PRELUDE PART 1 : TO SUCCEED A LEGACY...**

"_I still can't get boys and their needs for victory."_

_Nightstar_

It was noon in Jump City, the time people used to take a break. Some used the time to go somewhere generally out of their jurisdiction to protest about something. Others used the time to be on the receiving end of such speech.

The Commissioner and the Mayor were the example of those kinds of behavior.

"I keep telling you", Commissioner Rivers said through gritted teeth, "these kids cannot be trusted."

Mayor Duncan sighed for the umpteenth time. "With all due respect, commissioner, I have told you times and times the city trusts them."

"So?" The Commissioner pressed on. "They're civilians! They only know half of what we know!"

"I believe they know enough, Commissioner", the mayor drawled, "Let's just face it, we don't have better solutions for the uprising criminal rate."

"My troops—"

"—aren't quite useful against meta-humans, the lots invading our city as of now." Mayor Duncan sighed again, running his hand through his hair. "One year ago, this city was on the brink of becoming the second Bludhaven. Now, it's relatively as safe as Kansas."

Rivers scoffed. "Let me guess...the kids' efforts?"

Duncan nodded. "Most of it, Commissioner. Of course, it's also because the Council finally agreed on increasing the jail improvement fund."

Rivers scoffed again. "Can't you just see my point? These meta-humans are above us—there, I admit it! Once they turn on us, we're doomed! Remember what happened to Superman? Or closer to us...Terra?"

"Ah...that...We humans make mistakes from time to time", Duncan said sagely.

"Doesn't stop us from not doing the same mistakes twice", Rivers persisted, "All I am asking from you is some form of restriction, that's all."

"Restriction, Commissioner? I'm afraid I don't quite understand who needs them."

Rivers rolled his eyes. "Fine, then", he spat, "I'll just tell you exactly what I have in mind."

He opened a briefcase, the one the Mayor had failed to notice. Rivers took out some photos and papers; he especially pointed at one. Duncan leaned closer. It was a picture of a boy with black hair and an outfit resembling traffic signal.

"Robin, Boy Wonder, Caped Crusader—whatever those press gave him. The leader, shouting those two golden words of him every time they appeared on public. According to reliable sources, he is the third kid wearing that cheerful tights. Always appears to be mysterious and secretive in the eyes of public, though he's capable of handling those metas. Has no power whatsoever—if you don't count superb martial abilities as powers."

Duncan suppressed a smirk. Whether he admitted it or not, the Commissioner respected Robin. "I believe that makes him the least of our worries."

"Nonsense! If he can lead these ragtag brats, he can surely lead them to attack us."

Duncan nodded half-heartedly. "Alright...if you say so..."

Rivers pointed at the next picture, one of a dark-haired girl with midriff-exposing costume. "The one called Nightstar; fanatics said she was Nightwing and Starfire's daughter, that makes her a half alien. That explains her bright thingy—"

"—I believe it was widely dubbed as starbolts", Duncan offered automatically.

"—and her ability to fly. She's usually their PR or something, you know, the one with the emotion bag and all."

Duncan nodded, but said nothing.

"Now, we all now how dangerous aliens are—"

"No offense, Commissioner, but that's a tad like saying blondes are dumb."

"—And they are, the aliens, I mean", for the Commissioner himself had blonde hair, "They are not of Earth, we don't know their ways."

"Anyone who has spoken to this girl will know that she is as harmless as a dove."

"You should have seen the damage she did to that statue."

"...Ah...all for the greater good", Duncan shrugged.

Rivers creased his eyebrows. "She's a powerhouse. Enough for us to watch her...or develop something as a prevention", he added loftily.

Duncan' eyes widened. "How—"

Rivers waved it off. "Mayor, as the primary force behind civilian security, it is my job to know everything involved in that. Next—"

This time a photograph of a white humanoid robot was brought to spotlight. "Cyberion, a teenager in armor...none of us knows what he's like without his helmet. Anyway, this "Future Tin Can' has a lot of arsenals hidden...so far we have seen gatling guns, rockets, missiles, lasers, and who knows what else. He is reportedly the Titans' mechanic."

"You fear that his vast knowledge in technology could get us in trouble?" Mayor Duncan asked ahead.

"Yes, precisely."

"Alright...since now I'm trying to be a skeptic..."

"'Bout time", Rivers muttered. He cleared his throat and showed the mayor a photograph of a comical looking green-skinned teenager.

"Yet another Beastling, the offspring of the first and the traitor. Almost an exact copy of his father...if that the one time he raised the earth was because the witch helped him. A one-man-zoo, if you ask me, complete with the comicality of it. He's the weakest so far."

"I take it there's no reason to watch over him?" The Mayor said it hopefully.

"Oh, quite the contrary. You can never be too careful with these kinds of people. The next one—"

Now it was a picture of a cloaked and hooded teen.

"—called herself Sable—as if she wasn't dark enough. Even more mysterious than that bird boy, hardly and actually never talked to anyone—some fans claimed that she spoke through telepathy, though. I suppose we can see who she's resembling, straight down to the costume and the powers, except without those creepy chanting. We never know what's under that hood too."

"I hope you're not thinking that it's always the quite one?"

"Exactly that one, Mayor. She hides her powers too—they weren't as often used as every metas do with theirs."

The Mayor wisely didn't comment, instead tiredly egging him on. The next on the line was a muscular boy with black T-shirt and the infamous S logo on it. He immediately knew what the Commissioner was about to say.

"No, Commissioner, just because he is called Superboy and has Superman's abilities doesn't mean that he will do everything Superman did."

"Wasn't going to say that", Rivers cut indignantly, "I was going to say that he's the one we know how to defeat. Kryptonite. I wish I could use it every time he hogs the screen—never mind that. Here. His girlfriend."

Sure enough, this time it was a girl clad in red and a familiar wing motif on her chest. "Wonder Girl, armed with the reflecting armbands, shocking lasso, super-strength and flight. She's a courageous fighter, rushing head on into Plasmus like that."

"Well, I rather thought she was nice", Duncan said vaguely.

"As I'm saying, we don't know the best solution to control her."

By now Mayor Duncan was definitely wishing he had gone out for lunch. "I don't know, Commissioner...is this discussion necessary?"

Rivers clenched his fists. "Yes, Mayor, it does! Tell me, how do you restrain a speedster?" He jabbed at a photograph of a cream-garbed particularly short boy. "Impulse, the Fastest Boy Alive, with the knack for mischief and super-speed, not to mention the incomprehensible vibrating ability."

"Umm..."

"Meaning that none of our weaponry can hit him!" Rivers grunted derisively. "Don't pretend you know nothing of this meta-human business."

"Ah, well...I am a citizen of this city for a long time", Duncan replied, a bit too quickly. "Never mind that. Commissioner, I will state it again. The Council trusts them, I trust them, and most importantly, the citizens trust him. We can't handle the meta-criminals, we need superheroes for that. But, I appreciate your concern." The Commissioner halted in mid-protest. "Therefore, I will ask you to do what you see is necessary to...ah...prevent future troubles."

"I see..." There was a momentary silence, in which the commissioner packed all his things into the briefcase. "I'm glad that we've reached an understanding, Mayor. I won't bother you anymore. Good afternoon."

Commissioner Rivers bowed and left the Mayor's office. Duncan sighed.

"As if I need a crash course in the history of superheroes", he muttered to himself, sipping his cold tea.

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"—and so the function is recognized as being stationer at the point of **a**, when the derivative of the function in **a** equals zero. The point **a** is then called the stationary point, where the function is neither going up nor down. Then how do we know what kind of stationary point **a **is? We—"

A long-black-haired nudged a scrawny blonde boy who was sleeping merrily through the lesson. He jerked up instantly before turning to the girl.

"Give me a break, Mary, everyone's sleeping", he whispered in between yawns.

"You shouldn't be", Mary whispered back, "Mr. Sarge's going to ask us something any minute."

"It's—"The boy checked the clock. "Five minutes to break. Nothing can happen—"

"—could Mr. Logan tell us what is the difference between the local minimum and local maximum?" Mr. Sarge boomed as though on cue.

"—Right, shutting up now." He nervously glanced at the clock again. "Uh...local minimum is the lowest and local maximum is the highest?"

Some of the students who were awake snickered. Some others who had been asleep jerked awake and pretended to be listening. Mr. Sarge frowned.

"Aside from the glaringly obvious difference an elementary student could tell", he boomed again, "What is the mathematical explanation of it?"

"The value of the second derivative, Mark", Mary whispered without moving her lips.

Mark nervously glanced at her.

"You will not ask Miss Grayson for help", Mr. Sarge said sharply.

"Was not! Ehm..." Mark screwed his face, betting everything on Mary's help. "Uhm, the second derivative of the local minimum is negative...and the local maximum is positive?"

Mr. Sarge curtly nodded. "Lucky guess, Logan. Pay attention to me next time rather than your friend."

Mark shrugged as some of the boys behind him wolf-whistled. The lunch bell rang as a cue for everyone to spring and bolt out of the classroom, including the teacher. Mark took his time putting his things in his backpack while Mary waited on the threshold. Together they walked to the cafeteria.

"You know, I still can't believe we have to go through all these things", he muttered as they queued.

"Because we promised our parents", Mary replied in a growl, "Because they want us to have a normal life."

Mark snorted, picking up the tray. "Yeah, right, normal...the one thing I've never been since my birth."

"Mark..."

"What?" Mark shrugged, scooping up mashed potato. "I'm not being broody or anything...just commenting the 'glaringly obvious fact'."

"Well...if that's what you say..." Mary herself picked most of the food served while Mark only had the mashed potato and a glass of juice on his tray, something that the cafeteria lady stared disgustedly at. Mark paid her the money and no attention at all. Both of them trudged to the table at the farthest corner of the cafeteria.

There sat a short-black-haired boy, an athletic-looking red-haired boy, and a girl whose face was nearly hidden by her book. Mark sat next to the boys while Mary moved to beside the girl.

"Mashed potato?" The athletic boy commented as soon as Mark had his first bite. "How are you going to grow up?"

"Same thing like everyone else, Titus." Mark swallowed the whole and pointed his spoon at Titus. "Through managing a healthy diet and weekly training." As he said the last sentence, he glanced furtively at the short-haired boy.

"I think he meant that it barely contains anything nutritious", the boy supplied quietly. "I think you need to eat real vegetable instead."

"Meh...stop commenting about my diet every time we sat down for meal." Mark frowned, cleaning the last of his meal. "I mean, I've never said anything about you occasionally skipping meals, Tim—"

"—which you actually ought to do, Mark", Mary interjected, shooting Tim a look, "He's missing quite a lot recently."

"Save the banter, please." Their attention was placed on the girl with the book, whose drone was mechanical enough to chase nearly everyone away. "It's bad enough hearing them at home without hearing them here."

"At least it made you spoke." Titus smirked. "You know how much we missed your sexy electronic voice."

"All right, Titus", Tim said authoritatively, "I think that's enough talking about our other life in this normal one."

Mark threw his hands up. "Whatever, man, you're the boss."

Tim scowled. "Seriously—"

"—we have done enough rubbing one each other's sore spots today", the girl's mechanical voice struck them silent again.

"Yes, Ma'am." Mark saluted good-naturedly, a gesture Mary saw as a mock and worthy of her scowl. Titus, however, didn't see them.

"Lisa's right. The trio's coming today", he smiled crookedly, "Tell Bart if he breaks the Holo-pad one more time he's going to buy it. I'm done fixing his mess all of the time."

"Yeah, I'll tell him that. That'll really make the game fair again", said Mark sourly. He drained the last of his juice.

"Somehow I doubt you're playing fair yourself", Tim uttered offhandedly.

"I'm just evening things a bit. You play '**Superheroes Superstars' **with him. Let's see if you can resist gluing the Holo-pad."

"You did that?" Titus scowled.

"Nope. Kon did."

"I still can't get boys and their needs for victory", Mary mumbled to Lisa who nodded in approval.

"Neither can they understand your constant worry of neatness", Lisa replied monotonously.

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As Titus predicted, the short, brown-haired boy they referred to as Bart were mashing the buttons on the Holo-pad. Mark, ignited by the desire to one-up Bart, did the same thing at a much slower rate.

"Bart! You're blowing the Holo-pad!" Titus shouted angrily through the excessively loud noise of the game.

"What?" Bart hollered back, his fingers were now seen as white blurs on the pad.

"I said—...Never mind." Titus gave up, shaking his head. He trudged to the control panel instead and pressed a button. Instantly, the TV died, leaving the common room with its peaceful silence. The silence didn't last long as the gamers began protesting.

"Come on, man, you can't just do that!" Bart yelled, zipping beside Titus in an instant. He put his hands on his hips. "That's a violation of my right!"

Titus rolled his eyes. "Shorty, you violated my right of keeping a healthy pair of ears. Now if you'd excuse me, I have work to do."

Bart fumed, running around Titus to stop him from going anywhere. Titus easily stuck out his leg and Bart tripped on that. Mark's expression brightened.

"You know, there's an easier way." He lifted his head as though speaking to the ceiling. "Mento, turn on the Holo-inducer!"

No response. Mark waited for two seconds before turning to Titus. "What did you do?"

"We received complains that this tower used too many energy." This time it was Robin who answered. "I promised the Mayor we would cut down the unnecessary energy expense; that means no Mento, and no ultra-loud gaming or TV-watching."

"No Mento?" Mark mourned. "Then who's going to clean my room, wash my clothes, and do my homework?"

"I believe it's called, DIY: Do It Yourself", Nightstar interjected haughtily. "Though I must admit, Mento has given us some ease..."

"_...Along with the constant worry that our lives are going to be easily jeopardized by artificial intelligence"_, remarked Sable from behind her book.

"That too." Robin's white lenses stared at the three casual-wearing boys. "Shouldn't you guys wear your costumes?"

"Relax, Robbie." Bart said, bored. "No crazy paparazzi are going to climb up here and find that Impulse and Bart Allen are the same."

Behind the mask, Robin's eyebrows were raised slightly. "You know, I'm surprised no one has tried doing that, considering that you have done little to conceal your identity."

"Pfft...no way...if that'd make you happy, though—"Bart zoomed out of the room and Impulse blurred back into the room as in the span of one second. "I'll change."

Robin nodded, seeing as Mark had also taken off his clothes to reveal his red and white costume under them.

"Where's Superboy and Wonder Girl?" He turned to Impulse, who now took a great interest in annoying Titus by blocking his vision of the circuits in his hands. Impulse averted his attention to Beastling, screwing his face as though talking of something very disgusting.

"On a date, said that the tower's crowded enough without them." Impulse made a contemptuous retching noise. "Are you sure that won't bother the team, Rob?"

"While it's interesting to see that you care about the team...no, I don't think so. Six people are enough to mash Plasmus last time."

"And making us take a bath for hours", Titus said in disgust, "I have to spend forever getting the goo out of my suit."

"You could have asked for help", Nightstar chided.

"Er...everyone was busy anyway." Titus' face now bore embarrassment, something that he rarely showed.

"Anyways, let's hope this weekend is the one we can relax in—"

The alarm blared with every screens and windows in the room flashing red.

"—I really shouldn't have spoken too soon...What's the situation?"

"_Simple destruction threat"_, Sable reported, having been stationed at the consoles since the alarm rang, _"Five teenagers, to be exact."_

Everyone turned to Robin, waiting for his signal.

"Titans, go!"

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_I have to age-slide some of them, obviously, and thus severing the continuity. Seeing that the only DC comic I've ever had is one graphic novel of TT, I can blissfully ignore it._

_Robin, Impulse, Superboy, Nightstar (yes, even Nightstar), Wonder Girl, and the Mayor belong to DC. _

_The OCs are mine. _

_That's it for now. Please give an extensive and criticising review._


	2. Prelude part 2

_At first, Beastling was going to be Beast Boy, hence the line "another Beastling". His mother is rather obvious who, as for the how is on the list of pending explanations. The Mayor-Commissioner talk was purposed for an introduction that wasn't narration, and setting some of the bases (AKA some meta-human hatred). Yes, it is silly._

_Disclaimer: The characters that have appeared somewhere else are surely not mine._

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**PRELUDE PART 2 : ...PROVE YOUR OWN**

"_Heh, never knew a guy could get me this excited..."_

_Charger_

The Main Street had been bustling with evening life. Of course, right after Charger, a red and blue costumed teenager, absorbed the sector's main generator and discharged an electrical storm; the street was cleared in a matter of seconds. The five teenagers stood in darkness.

"You sure this is going to attract their attention, Sebastian?" He asked a hay-haired boy, whose cape was flapping with the wind.

It was Deuce, their black and white garbed companion who answered. "Charger, you've just blacked out the busiest part of the street. What makes you think their retarded alarm wouldn't sound off?"

The lamps were turned on by now, illuminating six Titans. Robin twirled his bo-staff, standing beside his R-Cycle.

"I'm not sure why you're just standing here after blowing this street." His eye masks narrowed. "But if you try anything—"

"I think we'll introduce ourselves first", Sebastian cut smoothly. He casually pointed to Charger, "That's Charger, the one that blew the street." Charger sneered, mock-waving. "This is Deuce."

Impulse burst out. "What's with that headdress? Getting married?"

Deuce snarled. Sebastian held out his hand and continued as though nothing had happened. "Shimmer, that's the one with the red hair and midnight blue outfit." The girl smirked. "That's Gemini, the one in black." Gemini didn't do anything to acknowledge Sebastian's speech, instead scowling at Beastling.

"We are the Fearsome Five, the best group in the H.A.E.Y.P.", Sebastian finished proudly, leering at the Titans, "And we're going to kill you as a part of our final exam."

Stony silence struck the Titans, in which Impulse was resisting the urge to laugh and Beastling was trying to remember something. Nightstar glanced at Robin, who stood stiffly but alert as ever.

"_What do we do, Robin?"_

Robin didn't bother turning around. In battles, Sable was the one who acted as their operator, secretly channeling orders through her private mind link. Though her communication was actually one-way, Robin and Sable had developed quick-languages of their own. When he moved his right hand slightly, like now, it meant wait for orders.

"To kill us?" The Boy Wonder asked suspiciously. "That's it?"

"Duh, bird brain, are you deaf?" Charger mocked, his hands already crackling with electricity.

The white lenses narrowed. "Do you expect me to believe that?"

"Actually I did", Sebastian drawled, "and I was hoping you would order your team to go first...but never mind. Fearsome Five, attack as planned!"

"Titans, go!"

As organized, Charger confronted Cyberion, Gemini faced Nightstar and Beastling, Deuce stood in front of Impulse, Shimmer running straight to Sable, and Sebastian sauntered to Robin, who instantly jabbed his bo-staff. Sebastian crouched and rolled aside as Robin resumed jabbing him. Sebastian caught the staff and pulled it along with the surprised Robin until he was close enough for a knee-kick. Robin wheezed as the air was knocked out of his lungs, he wheezed again when Sebastian kicked his chest. Robin flew straight to a hydrant. The hydrant, howbeit cybernetically controlled, still let water burst as a result of the crash. Robin slowly stood, cautiously eyed Sebastian.

"You can do better than that, Boy Wonder", taunted Sebastian.

"Really?" His hands slowly drifted to his belt. Sebastian eyed them, unaware of the water drifting under his feet.

"Using your toys, Robin? Against a defenseless enemy?" Sebastian smirked. Robin ignored him. He pulled out two pellets and showed it to Sebastian.

"See this? You're standing in water." Robin pointed on the water under Sebastian. Sebastian tapped his boot. The water splattered in response.

"Let me guess...electric pellets?" Sebastian's smirk grew wider and more annoying. "Boy Wonder, if you're as bright as they say, you're in more danger than I am."

Robin smirked in his own rights. "Nope." He threw the pellets while jumping, an action Sebastian wasn't expecting. The smirk was wiped off when the pellets exploded, giving him a whiff of a particular dust.

"What's this?" Sebastian coughed furiously. "Chili?"

"Nah." Robin perched on the broken hydrant. "Just some quick dry cement."

To Sebastian's horror, when he looked down he saw that his feet had indeed been cemented. "You--!"

"It's also quick-broken, so—" Robin leapt and kicked Sebastian. The cement on his feet broke, although the resistant force was enough to make him lay on the floor with Robin's boot on his chest. Robin bent closer to Sebastian's face.

"—I guess this means you failed your exam."

Sebastian only laughed, erasing traces of Robin's smirk. Without warning, he pulled the Boy Wonder's neck and sank his fangs into it. Robin howled in surprise and pain. Sebastian kicked him again, at the same time doing a back-flip to stand back on his feet. Robin did the same motion in air, rubbing his neck.

"What are you?" He asked horrifically.

"Oh, just someone who happens to love blood!" Sebastian grinned manically, dashing forward. They met in a fierce blow-exchanging competition, for every move Robin used Sebastian had the perfect counter, and the other way around. Finally, Robin aimed a very high kick to the head while Sebastian attempted the same thing. Their feet met and pushed each other in the air as realization dawned on Robin. He quickly jumped back.

"You stole my skills!" He accused warily.

Sebastian shook his index finger. "Not exactly. It's supposed to suck powers, but your martial arts are as good as your powers." He crouched low in a position Robin knew was used as a beginning of feral techniques. "Here I come, Robin!"

Robin embraced himself as Sebastian sprang forth like a tiger.

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"Pathetic." Another lightning discharge shocked Cyberion's armor, now without its golden parts glowing. "Is that all, Iron Lad?"

Cyberion lifted its head, the only part of its body that still functioned while the rest of it was lying on the cold concrete.

"What are you talking about?"

Charger scoffed, firing another discharge. "I mean, we were expecting you to be short-circuited in an instant, but I didn't expect it to be **this** instant!" He zapped again. This time, Cyberion's eyes went out.

Charger spat. "Ah well...I'm out of juice anyway. Now where's that generator..."

He turned his back on Cyberion and wandered around looking for the generator he had drained the energy of. Unknown to him, Cyberion's systems rebooted with a soft hum. His hands silently transformed into a pair of cannons of sorts, glowing blue and aimed at Charger. The criminal finally turned around.

"Hey, Tin Can, know where—Gaah!" The sonic cannon punishments sent him through a shop's glass doors. Cyberion's rockets flared, lifting the armored teen a few centimeters of the ground.

"Do you think I didn't come with a special resistor? The kind that was made especially for zappers like you!" He growled with his robotic voice, preparing for another shot, this time a fish net which entangled Charger as soon as he came out of the shop. Charger wrestled with it, cursing as he did.

Cyberion was saved from giving a victory speech by Impulse, who darted pass him, "She's a cloning freak!"

The meaning was made clear when ten Deuce chased Impulse, one stood in front of him so that the speedster had to abruptly stop and turn to run into the ten. Cyberion was about to help him when a familiar blast shocked its systems momentarily. Its vision sensors showed that one Deuce had used her rapier to cut through Charger's net, and the vengeful teen was the one who blasted him.

"You run on electricity, right, Tin Can?"

Charger zapped him again as he walked closer. Despite whatever he had stated about the resistor, Titus' readings showed that it was going to melt down. Either Charger knew that, or he was just a rash head-first charger.

Charger fired more lightning bolt. This time, it was enough to make Cyberion's systems stopped temporarily, enough time for him to put his hand on the core power source.

"Tell me, is it Duracell, or nuclear?" Electrical charges flowed through Charger's red hands and his whole body. His face showed euphoria, like someone's addiction satisfied.

Inside the armor, Titus frantically tried to bring the systems online with no avail. Finally, Charger let go of Cyberion, which was now completely out of service.

"Heh, never knew a guy could get me this excited..." He stuck his hand out, firing a bolt at a passing-by Impulse. Ten Deuces ganged up on the short boy while one berated Charger.

"I can take care of my own here! Just mess with Gemini!"

Charger shrugged, following the orders.

He didn't turn back, even when a fish net covered Deuce. Cyberion was back online.

"You know, your friend should have known that I just had to have a lot of extra power core..." It stomped over to the trapped villain. "But I suppose, you won't care? Oh, and Impulse, you can stop running now."

Impulse blurred, stopping right in front of him. "Whatareyoutalkingabout?There'stoomanyofherItriedmysonicboombutitdidn'twork!" He blurred again, as though being chased by demons. Titus sighed. He actually had to use a rewind function since Impulse said those words in just one second.

"My ocular sensors don't catch anyone beside this one here", he jabbed a finger at Deuce, "those are just the illusion. Ah, which reminds me..." The net suddenly buzzed, and Deuce screamed in pain. "Anti-psi net, meaning that you'll get a nice zap everytime you emit extraordinary brainwave. So if you stop—" The net stopped buzzing. Deuce glared to him. "—that will do."

"Those are just illusions!" Impulse stopped, glancing around. He didn't see anyone else beside the three of them. "No way! I got fooled!"

"Yes...now, keep an eye on her...my emergency power core's running low..."

"Shouldn't we help the others?"

Cyberion gazed, calculating. It gave a noisy shake of the head.

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It had been a routine. Sable levitated some random small objects, Shimmer turned them into other harmless things once they were three feet from here. Sable had tried a concrete chunk (it became a pink fluffy pillow), a random car's tire (a beach ball bouncing off Shimmer's head), and even bending a lamp overhead (Shimmer turned it into a hood very similar to Sable's, and she had even wore it). Normally, Sable would have been the one frustrated. Somehow, it was Shimmer who actually did.

"Why wouldn't you just do something!" She half-screamed after the discarding the hood. Sable said nothing. She sent another concrete chunk to Shimmer. Three feet from Shimmer, it disintegrated into dust.

"Urgh, just show some frustration!" Shimmer grabbed a sword from thin air and charged, yelling a battle cry. Sable didn't seem fazed, she easily clapped the flat side of the sword when Shimmer swung it down. Shimmer gritted her teeth, trying to force her way of cleaving Sable. The Titan slid her hands along the blade to the hilt, one hand gripping Shimmer's so tight she was forced to let go of the sword while the other claimed it. In a blink of an eye, the sword was already pointed at Shimmer's neck, who despite her predicament laughed shrilly.

"You think that can stop me?" She glowered. "Silly Titan, I can transmute compounds! I can even turn you to a crystalline glass and shatter it if I will it so!"

Sable unemotionally knocked Shimmer with the sword's hilt. Shimmer staggered backwards. The sword turned back to thin air.

The red-headed villain glowered murderously. "You think I'm just a joker? I'll tell you something...never mess with me!" Concrete blocks rose around her, transformed into metal spheres that revolved around her. Shimmer ran to Sable with the spheres revolving madly around her. Again, Sable impassively stood her ground, until the spheres sailed to her. She burst upward using the black telekinesis as propulsion leaving the spheres to dent the bank behind her. Sable dove back, aiming Shimmer. Shimmer just smirked, creating a brick wall in front of her on the last seconds. Sable stopped dead a centimeter in front of the brick wall until they suddenly fell on her.

Shimmer waited apprehensively for any signs of the bricks moving. They didn't, so she giggled and pranced around in triumph.

"Yeah! Score one for the bad guys!"

One brick shot straight to her stomach, something she wasn't able to evade. Shimmer was knocked off her feet. She laid on the ground, her brain finally registering what was going on when someone spoke to her mind.

"_I can't reveal what I don't have. You, on the other hand—"_

Shimmer realized with a sinking feeling that with her far away from the supposedly stacked bricks, her opponent was free to throw her to a wall. Like now.

"—_like so many other villains chose to gloat, thus giving me plenty room to defeat you."_

Sable kept her left hand like it was used to hold the five-meters-away Shimmer. Shimmer gritted her teeth.

"You think you've won?" She seethed, pronouncing each syllables with a crescendo of hatred. "You think I'm weak? I'll tell you something..."

She yelled a battle cry, running straight to Sable with the concrete around her rising like diamond spikes. One meter from Sable, Shimmer stopped, letting the diamond spikes to attack. Unlike last time, she also transmuted the air so that Sable looked like she was inside a pair of diamond jaws. Shimmer let no room to escape, and that was the fact that made her cackle madly.

"You see, hero? You can't win! The good will always win, they say! That's fairy tale!" Shimmer clamped her two hands together. The spikes, both from the air and the ground, sprang to 'bite' Sable. An odd effect—thick smoke—occurred; during the brief moment Shimmer was smirking until when it cleared she was screaming like mad.

A very thin layer of black magic coated Sable, and it was what saved her from the diamond attack. Shimmer ground her teeth together.

"NO! It's not fair! Why can't you just die!"

Three spikes floated in black magic. _"Someday, but apparently that wasn't the moment."_

The spikes flew to Shimmer.

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Nightstar floated with blue-glowing hands, staying on one spot as Gemini moved like a lion about to strike. Her eyes were directed towards Beastling who was now a green bull.

"So...Beastling...isn't it?" Gemini began with a sneer. "You seem to take after your father..."

The bull snorted.

"Yes...apparently...you are also as dumb..." Gemini grinned sadistically. "Which means this should be easy..."

Nightstar fired a blue starbolt at her, cutting the rest of her sentence. The half-alien continued with her volley fire, which Gemini evaded by doing a round of gymnastic flips. The green bull tried to ram her as soon as she was done, but he found himself striking empty space. The next thing he knew, a blue whale dropped on him. He morphed into a green-blue whale in the last minute. The two largest mammals piled oddly for a second, then Gemini reverted to her original form and leaped away as Nightstar dove and hit Beastling instead. She actually made him moved a metre before changing back to the green boy.

"How did you do that?" He asked to the haughty Gemini. Her eyes gleamed dangerously.

"Didn't your father tell you anything?" She laughed as Beastling clenched his fist. "My, my, I was wrong. Your father is stupider than you."

Nightstar's eyes glowed brighter blue. "Leave our parents out of this!"

Gemini turned to her, sneering. "That's quite easy. Your mother has left this world, after all."

Like a blue lightning bolt, Nightstar tackled Gemini, ignoring Beastling's cries. The two hit a taxi, denting it but somehow Gemini was still conscious, and even laughing. Nightstar made to throttle her, and Gemini's laugh only got louder.

"Tsk, tsk...I'm sure", her change in voice made Nightstar jumped back, "that your mother wouldn't approve of you killing me, right?"

Nightstar took steps backward, aghast. "Y-You..."

Standing before her was a perfect imitation of Starfire, looking just like the day she was last seen in public. "What's the matter? Can't hurt your own mother? That's a shame." 'Starfire's eyes glowed green. "Because I want to kill you." Twin laser-like beams shot out, sending a stupefied Nightstar straight to Beastling. 'Starfire' cackled.

"You heroes are so vulnerable." It was Starfire's voice, but the lack of compassion within her words had made it almost like a stranger's. "You wear your emotions like your sleeves. No killing. No hurting the people you love. You'll die from that one day."

Beastling spared a worried Nightstar, who had paled. He turned to Gemini, morphing into a tiger. "Just shut up, will you? I'm tired of hearing about my death! This is our life! We decide when we will die."

'Starfire' smirked, turning into 'Changeling'. The tiger froze. 'Changeling' only laughed evilly. "Hah! How arrogant! Even I can't say when I'm going to die. And you can't even attack me as your father—"

Electric bolt shot at Beastling. He collapsed as a human. 'Changeling' turned to Charger, annoyed.

"Don't interrupt me!"

Charger shrugged. "Deuce said I had to help you. But I don't think—"

Two starbolt hit each of them, knocking them flat on the ground. Nightstar lowered her still glowing hands, her eyes glowing furiously.

Charger jerked back to his feet, swearing loudly. "I'll get you back for that, you—"

Beastling—now a green ram—tackled him, along with Nightstar who did the same to Gemini. Gemini—as Starfire—wrestled with Nightstar.

"Impossible! You—the data—"

"We wear our emotion like sleeves, you say!" Nightstar lifted 'Starfire' into air, then throwing her to Charger. "Then taste my fury!"

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Sebastian frowned impatiently. The fight between him and Robin had led them to a dark alley. Robin had thrown him smoke bombs, and when the smoke cleared, he couldn't see the Boy Wonder within the shadows. He cautiously glanced around.

"Hiding in the shadows, Boy Blunder?" He scoffed, in hopes of getting Robin out. "Isn't that what your father taught you? The Dark Knight, always hiding in the shadows...you're a coward, just like your—"

"—Shut up!" As he hoped, Robin showed up. As he didn't hope, however, Robin's steel-toed boots met him first in the face. Sebastian was knocked out of the alley. Robin wasn't satisfied. He took Sebastian by the collar and continually beat him. "You know nothing about my father! You hear me?" He gave a kick to the other teen, who coughed out blood. "Don't. Talk. About. My. Dad!" With each words, he punched Sebastian harder, until his face was reduced to a swollen mass of blue.

Robin drew back his fist to strike again. A pale hand caught his, and he snapped up angrily to meet Sable's cold gaze.

"_Is that even necessary?"_

Robin didn't answer. He shook his hand loose and let go of Sebastian. He glanced at the others. The Titans had won. Somehow, his whole body language screamed of the otherwise. He stood with his back to his comrade, trying in vain to look calm. When he finally spoke, his voice was finally steady.

"I changed my mind. I'll leave now. Take care of things for me, okay?"

"_I'm not a leader, Robin."_

He impatiently frowned. "No, you're not, but you're the only one I can trust with the whole team. Just..." He placed a hand on her shoulder, but quickly took it away. He sighed audibly. "...Just do it. I'll be back by Sunday."

Without further ado, he walked to his R-Cycle. After adjusting the helmet, he drove to the direction opposite of the Tower, off to who-knows-where. Just as he was gone, Impulse stood in front of Sable.

"Yo, where's Robin off to?"

Sable turned around and started walking to the T-Car. _"I don't know, I don't care, and I don't want to know, so you can tell that to everyone else."_

Impulse scratched his head, shrugging. He ran at medium pace (faster than a racing car) while the others got into the car. The ride back to the tower was peaceful, what with Beastling glancing at a gloomy Nightstar every minute and Sable being the 'human-wall' (a nickname Superboy coined her after talking, that is, him talking and her sitting there, fro a day) she was.

"_What did she do to you?"_

Startled, Nightstar whipped around. The others weren't turning their heads like her, so obviously Sable had contacted her privately. She shook her head, an awful attempt to look carefree.

"I'm alright. Where's Robin?"

"You know", piped up Beastling, "I was wondering the same thing. Where's the chief?"

"_He's taking his time off for a day. I know nothing about it other than it should be some private business in Gotham—"_

"—With the Batman?"

"—_Don't know."_

Nightstar mouthed an 'O'. Beastling looked at her, confused. Nightstar had just looked even worse.

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It was a square office without any large furniture in sight, except for a digital clock overhead reading _23:27_. For some reasons, Sebastian had been eyeing it with interest. Brother Blood, however, wasn't the perfect description of interested.

"You failed!" He slammed his table. The pile of paper on it jumped. "How could you fail to kill the Titans! After all the lessons I've given you...Especially you, Sebastian!" He glared at the student. "I thought you would succeed! I gave you everything a headmaster could give to his top student! Is this how you repay me!"

Sebastian's one eye (for that was the one left unbandaged) widened. "I'm terribly sorry, headmaster, but even the best has to fall sometimes."

Brother Blood growled. "Be thankful that Damian—" The other man who had been standing on the corner perked up hearing his name. "—persuaded me to get you out...now I can deal with you all personally...tomorrow."

The rest had been hoping to be excused quickly to get some rest. Sebastian, however, didn't seem to understand the finality in Brother Blood's speech. "Why is that, headmaster? Is it because tomorrow is your birthday?"

"What! What's the connection?" The headmaster looked at him suspiciously.

Sebastian smirked. "Honestly, headmaster, I didn't think someone with a photographic memory could ever forget...the curse?"

Brother Blood visibly paled. "What...how do you...?"

Sebastian's smirk got wider. "Every Brother Blood will die in the hands of their sons, a punishment for stealing that shawl." He nodded to the shawl around Blood's neck. Blood's metal hand curled protectively around it. "Before their hundredth birthday...that's tomorrow."

"Y-You!" Brother Blood's organic hand pointed wildly at Sebastian. "You're...impossible! I don't have a son!"

Sebastian shrugged. "Your fault." He walked closer to Blood, whose eyes started glowing red. Sebastian wasn't affected. "I resist your mind control, father, just as a descendent should."

Blood stepped backwards, to the edge of the room. "Darhk! Do something!"

Damian perked up again, this time casually throwing a sword to Sebastian. "I'm afraid the H.I.V.E. has decided to get rid of you...you're too old."

"Exactly. So—" Sebastian slapped a disc on Blood's forehead. Blood froze, his mechanical parts shutting down, leaving only his organic part to eye the sword warily. "Good bye, father."

As the clock buzz, signaling midnight, Brother Blood's life was ended by a stab to his chest. Sebastian nonchalantly removed the shawl and wore it himself, then returning to line up with his nonplussed teammates.

"As your new headmaster, I order you to return to your quarters...and forget about the punishment...for now."

They exited the room quickly. Damian sat on Blood's chair, relaxing. He snapped his fingers, looking at the corpse.

"Almost forgot...Meh, detention for them."

The H.A.E.Y.P.'s new headmaster enjoyed his first night.

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_Deuce and Charger are the members of the Fearsome Five, they are also unimportant enemies of Superman. What are they doing here? I'm plagiarizing Post, of course. You can expect that._

_Shimmer is originally Mammoth's sister. Here? Guess._

_Gemini is a member of the Brotherhood of Evil. Unlike the others, she isn't exactly age-slid. How? Wait and see..._

_Sebastian is, of course, the 8th Brother Blood._

_Damian Darhk is a member of the H.I.V.E._

_The quote is plagiarized from Lord Belgarion...you'll just have to bear with me stealing ideas._

_So it's a long chapter, and full of action too. An arc should be coming soon, after one or two fillers. _


End file.
